Rural mailbox with automatic signals



Sept. 6, 1966 J. s. MULLNER RURAL MAILBOX WITH AUTOMATIC SIGNALS Filed March 9, 1964 Mi N\ I N VEN TOR.

0 4K: 5. Mala/52 n BY I ,4 ifilm/ V lrrozvers United States Patent 3,270,956 RURAL MAILBOX WITH AUTOMATIC SIGNALS Jake S. Mullner, Box 148, Westport, S. Dak. Filed Mar. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 350,337 2 Claims. (Cl. 232-35) This invention relates to mailboxes and more particularly to such a box that has two automatic flags, an automatic coin box, a place to mail letters and which opens on top.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a more convenient and practical rural mailbox for both the mail carrier and the box holder, which box is simple and eflicient, and which has a signal which shows the box holder that the mail carrier has passed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mailbox having two flags operating automatically when the box lid is opened and closed.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a mailbox having a convenient place to put the letters that are mailed and a coin box that can be opened by a flip of the thumb.

And still another object of the present invention is to provide a mailbox that can be produced at a comparatively low cost and is attractive in appearance.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rural mailbox made in accordance with the present invention showing the front and one end of the box.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the right side or end portion of the mailbox shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the box showing the back of the lid, the hinge by which it is fastened, and the support which holds the lid from falling further when opened.

FIG. 4 is a perspective View of the upper inside portion of the box, shown with the lid open exposing the coin box at left, the letter holder at the center of the lid and the latch on the upper inside center of the lid of the box.

FIG. 5 is :an exploded approximately full size view of the clutch device which stabilizes the flagstaffs on both right and left ends of the mailbox shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the lid of the coin box looking at it from the front and showing the pin on the back of it.

FIG. 7 is an elevation of one side of the coin box showing the slot that is up and down where the pin shown in FIG. 6 slides up and down when the lid is opened and closed.

FIG. 8 is an elevation of the flagstaff shown at the left side of the box in FIG. 1 and which has a twist and two holes near the top, and which is also slightly bent forward so that the flag is straight up and down when the flagstaff is in its up position.

Referring now specifically to the drawing a mailbox 1 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a lid 2 that is rounded on top and opens toward the front. The ends 21 of lid 2 are well rounded down to keep out dust, rain and snow. The lid 2 is also bent outward in the front starting at 26 to 24 where the end of the lid is rolled to take away the sharp edge that it would otherwise have. Also on the top part of the lid front between the bend 26 and the rolled end 24 may appear the stenciled letters LIFT HERE. There is a larger flag 14 on the outer left side or end, as viewed in FIG. 1, of the mailbox 1. This larger flag comes up when the mail carrier closes the lid. A "red 3,270,956 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 "ice flag 13 is put up when a letter or something else is mailed, on the outer right side or end of mailbox 1. Shown in FIG. 4 where the lid is open and the box cut away is an automatic coin box consisting of parts 4, 5 and 6. This is on the left side of mailbox 1 and a (mailed) letter holder 8 is in the center end toward the bottom of the inside of the mailbox lid 2. Directly above the letter holder 8 inside the lid is latch 9.

The operation of this device will now be readily underst-ood. The larger flag 14 that is mounted to the top of flagstafi' 15 and fastened to the left side on the outer end of mailbox 1 can be of orange -or any color that can easily be recognized from a distance or it could be covered with a reflector-type tape. It could even be a reflector. The staff 15 is bent slightly forward toward the top so that the flag 14 is straight up and down. It also has a twist so that the flag will face toward the front of the mailbox 1. Flag 14 is fastened with two small bolts 19 so it can easily be taken off and reversed to face the box holder if he would be living in that direction from the box. Flagstaif 15 has a stopper 17 that is mounted on the left side of the mailbox toward the bottom of the staff 15. This keeps the flagstaff from falling forward when it is raised. It also has a stopper 16, mounted slightly above and ahead of 17, and this one keeps the staff from falling too far as denoted at 33. There is a metal lifter 18 that is mounted toward the back and on the top and left side of the lid 2 which is rounded out in front 35. This rounded part fits in behind flagstafl 15 when it is up. This lifter device 18 picks up the larger flag 14 and staff 15 when it is in the down position 33. Just by closing the lid 2 it then remains in the proper upright position. Flagstaff 15 when in the proper upright position leans back slightly. The spring clutch device 25 (also shown in FIG. 5 at about normal size) stabilizes the flagstatf 15. It also gives. This lets the flagstaff come out on top and back down around lifter 18 so it will be in down position 33. This also puts the bottom part of the flagstaff cut out 34 under stopper 16. It is now in a position that when the lid 2 is opened the flagstaff 15 will slide out and around lifter 18 and spring back above 18 into its rounded out end 35. Now when the lid is closed flagstatf 15 and flag 14 automatically come up as in FIG. 1.

The flag 13 (which is red in color) and stalf 12, which are parallel to the right side or right end of the mailbox 1, are fastened on that outer side with the same kind of clutch device 30 shown in FIG. 5. The flagstalf 12 is held upright by the flanged part 29, which is mounted directly above clutch 30, which in turn stabilizes the flagstaff 12. When the red flag 13 and staff 12 are in the upright position (FIG. 2) and the lid 2 is raised, book 28 will automatically pull flagstaff 12 down and over flanged part 29 thus letting it drop on holder 31 and into its position 32. The hook 28 that is mounted to the back and right side of lid 2 also keeps the red flag 13 and staif 12 from going any further forward than the upright position.

To raise the red flag 13 and staff 12 it is simply lifted up. It will pass around and over flanged part 29. The clutch 30 will then hold it in place until the lid is raised again.

FIG. 3 is a view of part of the back part of the mailbox 1 showing hinge 11 and also lid rest or holder 10 that is fastened to the center of the box below the hinge. This holder 10 supports lid 2 when the mailbox is open.

FIG. 4 shows the front pant of the mailbox 1 with the lid 2 open exposing the letter holder 8 that holds the mailed letters and is fastened to the lower inside of the lid 2 and extends upwardly. The words MAIL LET- TERS HERE are stenciled near the top of this letter holder 8. Above the holder 8 is the latch 9 which, when the lid is closed, snaps around the rolled edge 37 which is the top part of the front of the mailbox 1.

The coin box 4, and 6, under the stenciled letters COINSF, is mounted on the left inside of mailbox 1 (FIG. 4). It is in upright position. The coins are put in the top 35 and released when coin box lid 5 is lifted with the thumb or finger so that it slides out of the bottom of box 4 that is bent in at 36. This lets the bottom part of lid 40 out releasing the coins. This in turn moves pin 6 (soldered to back of lid 5) up in slot 7 which is an oblong hole in the upper and outer top of coin box 4. Coin box 4 also has an extended bottom 39 which lets the coins slide out further.

The bottom 3 is similar to other rural mailbox bottoms that are riveted in leaving holes that are used to nail the bottom and the box to a board which, in turn, is fastened to a post. However, this bottom not only extends upwardly into the mailbox but it also extends downwardly so it can be folded underneath for better protection from thieves, especially if this folded metal too is fastened to the board. The large black dots denote rivets that fasten the bottom 3, the hinge 11, lid supporter 10, letter holder 8, latch 9, both flagstatf stoppers 17 and 31, flanged part 39, the hook 28 and the red flag 13 to the respective parts they are connected to. The aperture 45 are holes through bottom 3 and mailbox 1 that are used to fasten the mailbox 1 to a board that in turn is fastened to the top of a post.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing and while various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus completely and fully described the invention, what is now claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a mailbox, an upwardly opening receptacle having adjoining upright end and rear walls, a cover hinged to the upper portion of the rear wall for swinging movement between a closed position over the receptacle and an upwardly extending open position, a signal positioned outside of the receptacle and pivoted to the end wall on an axis parallel to the hinge axis for movement of the signal along a path between a normal lowered position extending rearwardly from the rear wall and a raised position beside the end wall, spring means on the signal device for yieldably retaining the device in said path, a lifter member integrally mounted on the cover to extend into said path, said lifter member having a beveled rear edge and a hooked front edge whereby as the cover is opened the rear edge of the lifter member.will engage the signal device and move it from said path against bias of the spring means until said front edge has passed under the device to raise the device upon closing movement of the cover. p

2. In a mailbox, an oblong open top receptacle having upright front and rear Walls and a pair of end Walls, a cover hinged to the upper edge of the rear wall for opening and closing relative tothe open top of the receptacle, first and second signals disposed outside of the receptacle and pivoted one to each end wall of the receptacle for movement between raised positions and lowered positions projecting rearwardly from the rear wall, a hook member on one end of the cover engageable with the first signal to move said signal from a raised to a lowered position when the cover is opened, a lifter member on the other end of the cover engageable with the second signal to raise said signal from a lowered to a raised position when the cover is closed, and said second signal member pivot being axially yieldable under spring tension to allow the lifter member to move past the said signal member to a position thereunder as the cover is opened.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 768,100 8/1904 Walsh 232 -35 773,110 10/1904 Wickstrom 232 -35 822,014 5/1906 Peterson 23235 1,199,581 9/1916 Luckett 232 35 1,207,499 12/1916 Carpenter 232 35 2,098,242 11/1937 Holmes 232 35 2,754,051 7/1956 Shellabarger 232- 35 2,939,629 6/1960 Barkdoll 232-35 3,168,239 2/1965 Cooper 232 35 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner.

J. S. PETRIE, F. K. ZUGEL, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A MAILBOX, UPWARDLY OPENING RECEPTACLE HAVING ADJOINING UPRIGHT END AND REAR WALLS, A COVER HINGED TO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE REAR WALL FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION OVER THE RECEPTACLE AND AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING OPEN POSITION, A SIGNAL POSITIONED OUTSIDE OF THE RECEPTACLE AND PIVOTED TO THE END WALL ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE HINGE AXIS FOR MOVEMENT OF THE SIGNAL ALONG A PATH BETWEEN A NORMAL LOWERED POSITION EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE REAR WALL AND A RAISED POSITION BESIDE THE END WALL, SPRING MEANS ON THE SIGNAL DEVICE FOR YIELDABLY RETAINING THE DEVICE IN SAID PATH, A LIFTER MEMBER INTEGRALLY MOUNTED ON THE COVER TO EXTEND INTO SAID PATH, SAID LIFTER MEMBER HAVING A BEVELED REAR EDGE AND A HOOKED FRONT EDGE WHEREBY AS THE COVER IS OPENED THE REAR EDGE OF THE LIFTER MEMBER WILL ENGAGE THE SIGNAL DEVICE AND MOVE IT FROM SAID PATH AGAINST BIAS OF THE SPRING MEANS UNTIL SAID FRONT EDGE HAS PASSED UNDER THE DEVICE TO RAISE THE DEVICE UPON CLOSING MOVEMENT OF THE COVER. 